1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates to flexible board electrical connectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese patent application Kokai No. 7-142130 discloses a flexible board electrical connector. As FIGS. 4-6 show, this connector comprises a housing 51 having an upper opening and a plurality of contact elements 52 provided such that the spring contact portions 52A are arranged in the upper opening. The housing 51 has a pair of support sections 53 on opposite sides of the upper opening, and circular bearing portions (not shown) are provided in the support sections to support a pressure member 54 for rotation between a closed position close to the contact elements 52 and an open position apart from the closed position. The contact elements 52 are made by stamping a metal sheet so as to have a shaft portion 52B whose center is aligned with an axis of rotation including the bearing portions. Consequently, when such contact elements 52 are arranged in channels 51A of the housing 1, the shaft portions 52B form a comb-like shaft between the bearing portions. The pressure member 54 has a concave bearing surface 54A so that when the pressure member 54 is rotated, the bearing surface 54A slides on the shaft portions 52B of the contact elements 52.
The pressure member 54 has an angular pressure portion 54B which presses down a flexible board F against the spring contact portions 52A when the pressure member 54 is rotated to the closed position.
As FIG. 5 shows, the housing 51 has a support floor 51B for supporting the front end of the flexible board F at a position deeper into the housing and higher than the spring contact portion 52A. When the pressure member 54 is rotated to the closed position, the pressure portion 54B presses the flexible board F at a pinpoint between the support floor 51B and the spring contact portions 52A.
In use, the pressure member 54 is rotated upwardly to the open position as shown by broken line in FIG. 5, and a flexible board F is inserted into the opening such that its connection portion faces down. At this point, the flexible board F is supported at two points by the spring contact portions 52A and the support floor 51B. When the pressure member 54 is rotated to the closed position as shown in FIG. 7, the pressure portion 54B of the pressure member 54 presses down the flexible board F at a point between the spring contact portions 52A and the support floor portion 51B. Thus, the connection portion of the flexible board F is brought into contact with the spring contact portions 52A of the contact elements 52 under a predetermined pressure.
However, there is a demand for a connector having a small height on a circuit board. The conventional connector does not fully meet this requirement.